After
the fixer, the image is relatively stable and it is possible to look at
the film in daylight. However other than checking to see that it is fixed,
it is very wise to handle the film as little as possible until it is washed
and dried.
The
next stages, washing and drying are very important to the longevity of
the negatives and eliminating dust, scratches etc. Once these are on the
film they are quite impossible to remove.
The
film has to be washed in water to get rid of nay traces of chemicals.
While many photographers wash for 5 or 10 min's the recommended wash time
to remove all traces of chemicals is 30 min's. This also assumes the water
is clean and at a temperature of about 20 Degrees.
If
you have a good water supply it is easy to set the tap at the desired
temperature and leave it to wash. But there are many horror stories of
wash water that ran too hot and dissolved the emulsion or ran cold and
reticulated the film.
If
you don't have a reliable wash system, fill the tank with water, leave
it for 5 min's then empty it and refill it to stand for another 10 min's
and repeat this until the wash is complete.
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